Thursday, January 12, 2012

…But He will Baptize you with the Holy Spirit

Last night’s discussion of our readings enabled us to focus on what it means to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and what it means when we say “we are present” to His grace. We also asked how being present and being baptized in the Holy Spirit are connected. In trying to understand, we shared experiences during which we have felt moved or compelled to “do something,” i.e., to give of ourselves when it was the last thing we wanted to do.

Sometimes acts of kindness are relatively easy and gratifying. At other times they require effort to “stay” and resist the desire to walk away. What causes us to feel “stuck in place,” unable to yield to our own self –interests? We agreed that these are the times when we say we are “present” to His will and that these transformative moments are in a way, renewals of our baptismal vows.